Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing reel.
Description of the Related Art
A fishing reel is a reel for winding a fishing line that has been released (cast). The fishing line is wound on a spool by turning a handle attached to the reel. For example, in a spinning reel, a rotor is rotated by turning the handle, and a bail arm attached to the rotor guides the fishing line to be wound onto the spool. Further, a bait reel rotates the spool by turning the handle to wind the fishing line.
In a spinning reel, a rotor drive mechanism for rotating a rotor by turning the handle, and an oscillating mechanism for driving the spool back and forward, are receipted inside a reel body. The reel body has a side surface that is open in order to assemble the power transmission mechanisms therein. The opening is closed by a lid member after assembling the power transmission mechanisms inside the reel body.
In use, a fishing reel is generally exposed to fresh water or salt water. Accordingly, the space between the opening of the reel body and the lid member is subjected to a waterproof treatment so that water will not intrude to the power transmission mechanisms inside the reel body. Waterproofing is carried out by, for example, disposing a sealing plate between abutting surfaces of an opening edge portion of the reel body and the lid member, and screwing the lid member to the reel body (for example refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2014-131491).
When waterproofing by disposing a sealing plate between abutting surfaces of an opening edge portion of the reel body and the lid member, an annular ring-shaped rubber seal material is used as the sealing plate. The opening of the reel body is wide in order to assemble the power transmission mechanisms, and since the opening is provided in a reel body that matches the shape of the power transmission mechanism to be housed therein, the opening has a complex three-dimensional shape. Since it is necessary to seal such an opening around the entire perimeter, a thick rubber seal is used as the seal material, in order to provide some rigidity. Further, a seal groove for disposing such a rubber seal therein is provided in the opening edge portion of the reel body.
However, since it is necessary to provide a large seal groove in which a thick rubber seal can be disposed in the opening edge portion, the sizes of the reel body and the reel are accordingly increased. Further, since a rubber seal is flexible and tends to become twisted when placing in the seal groove, the work to accurately place the rubber seal into the seal groove is complicated. If the rubber seal is misaligned in the seal groove, the waterproof performance is insufficient, creating a defective product, and there is the risk that the yield will be decreased.